Matt Vespa
@missionvespa.bsky.social
2.4K followers 260 following 150 posts
Clean energy attorney at https://earthjustice.org/ working to dismantle fossil fuel industry with focus on building electrification and utility accountability in CA. Adjunct Professor of Renewable Energy Law & Policy at Berkeley Law. 🏳️‍🌈 ⚡️🏠
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missionvespa.bsky.social
👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
asmmarcberman.bsky.social
Today we are taking politics out of Californian’s utility bills and putting an end to the use of ratepayer funds for the political and promotional benefit of IOUs. (1/2)
missionvespa.bsky.social
You are on a roll today @gavinnewsom.bsky.social, let's keep it up! Show Californians you care more about them than for-profit utilities and sign #AB1167 to keep the costs of their lobbying and PR campaigns out of our energy bills!
Reposted by Matt Vespa
davidpomerantz.bsky.social
This is the last bill sitting on Gov. Newsom's desk that can lower utility bills from this session. Utilities are lobbying furiously against it.

If you’re from California and want to register your opinion about AB 1167, call the Gov. at (916) 445-2841.
moreperfectunion.bsky.social
There's a bill on Gavin Newsom's desk right now that would stop monopoly utility companies from adding the costs of their lobbying and PR campaigns into customers' bills.

It's unclear if Newsome will sign the bill, despite 93% of voters agreeing with its premise.
missionvespa.bsky.social
#AB1167 is still on the Governor’s desk. Let’s keep up the pressure and get this signed!
davidpomerantz.bsky.social
If you live in California and you want lower utility bills, and not to be forced to pay every month for those ubiquitous PG&E ads, and all the other insidious things your utility does to lobby our leaders, now’s the time to call Gov. Newsom at (916) 445-2841. Ask him to sign #AB1167.
davidpomerantz.bsky.social
It's not the only or even the main reason @governor.ca.gov
should sign it, but this bill is tailor-made for him to say "I will stand up to powerful interests to lower your monthly bills."

Seems like the kinda thing he wants to communicate!

energyandpolicy.org/california-l...
missionvespa.bsky.social
💯. @governor.ca.gov - be the Governor that stood up to for-profit utilities and sign #AB1167 to make California the 7th state to protect customers from footing the bill for their lobbying and promotional campaigns!
missionvespa.bsky.social
Next up, let's sign #AB1167 to protect Californians from footing the bill for monopoly utilities' lobbying engines!

✅ builds guardrails and defines activities utilities must pay for
✅ increases transparency to spot abuses of customer funds
✅ establishes consequences for utilities that break the law
governor.ca.gov
I just signed legislation to further protect consumers and put money back in your pocket, including:

✅ Making it easier to get food delivery app refunds
✅ Banning car retailers from tacking on add-on services
✅ Strengthening our Financial Protection Department after Trump's gutting of the CFPB
missionvespa.bsky.social
Still awaiting signature - commonsense legislation supported by over 90% of CA voters that will make sure utilities don't pass the costs of their lobbying and image polishing into energy bills.

@gavinnewsom.bsky.social: let’s save people money and sign #AB1167!

earthjustice.org/experts/matt...
Reposted by Matt Vespa
leahstokes.bsky.social
Governor Newsom has a bill on his desk to hold utilities accountable, and get them to stop passing along their dark money campaigns to everyday Californians.

Is he going to side with utilities, or side with the public and help lower electricity rates?
energyandpolicy.org/california-l...
California passes bill curbing utilities use of ratepayer money for political spending
State lawmakers last week made California the seventh state to pass a bill limiting investor-owned utilities from using customer money to pay for political and lobbying costs.
energyandpolicy.org
missionvespa.bsky.social
It takes a LOT to get a bill all the way through the CA legislature. Help us seal the deal by asking @cagovernornewsom.bsky.social to sign AB 1167 (protecting Californians from paying utility political & promotional costs in their energy bills) and AB 1280 (supporting industrial electrification)!
Reposted by Matt Vespa
davidpomerantz.bsky.social
Gov. Newsom has made lowering utility bills a top priority. One thing that he can do that would help both immediately and over time: sign AB 1167, now sitting on his desk, which protects Californians from having to pay for utilities' lobbying and advertising! energyandpolicy.org/california-l...
California passes bill curbing utilities use of ratepayer money for political spending
State lawmakers last week made California the seventh state to pass a bill limiting investor-owned utilities from using customer money to pay for political and lobbying costs.
energyandpolicy.org
Reposted by Matt Vespa
jlappen1.bsky.social
It's crucial to question the clean energy industry's self-defeating, destructive strategy in dealing with the Trump Administration. Adopting the energy-dominance framing doesn't work - but does make it easier for fossil actors to blame decarb for energy cost rises. More:

bsky.app/profile/jlap...
sammyroth.bsky.social
President Trump keeps promising "energy dominance." Renewable energy companies keep begging MAGA Republicans to let them help.

Thing is, "energy dominance" is a ridiculous lie. Everyone knows it. Wind and solar companies need to punch back.

My column: www.latimes.com/environment/...
Commentary: Trump's campaign against wind and solar is exposing his 'energy dominance' lies
Solar and wind companies need to start punching back.
www.latimes.com
Reposted by Matt Vespa
candiceyoungblood.bsky.social
“These are dark times. But remember, California is being targeted because our leadership has made a difference.” @lasmogguy.bsky.social

#FutureIsElectric
Reposted by Matt Vespa
missionvespa.bsky.social
Replace an air conditioner, get a heater too…without the pollution.

My blog on how cities and counties in California can take climate action by adopting local A/C-to-heat-pump policies that cut emissions, clean our air, and keep homes comfortable year round.

earthjustice.org/experts/matt...
The Year-Round Comfort Upgrade that Will Keep Cities Leading on Climate
Why the big swap of air conditioners for heat pumps is a great idea.
earthjustice.org
Reposted by Matt Vespa
stand.earth
Well would you look at that? Despite fear-mongering from the fossil fuel industry, cities actually *can* build homes that are better for their health and the climate both quickly and affordably.
This Massachusetts town banned gas — and housing boomed anyway
Critics say stringent, pro-electrification building codes and restrictions on natural gas will impede housing developers. A Boston suburb is proving them…
www.canarymedia.com
missionvespa.bsky.social
Forget about AI, where San Francisco is really innovating is heat pump deployment!
☑️ $50/mo bill credit for 2-3 years for replacing gas water heater with heat pump
☑️ free HPWHs for disadvantaged communities
☑️ expanding all-electric requirements to major remodels

www.cleanpowersf.org/waterheater
Water Heater Upgrade Program — CleanPowerSF
End your toxic relationship with that old gas water heater. Move on with an electric heat pump water heater.
www.cleanpowersf.org
missionvespa.bsky.social
More of this plz ⚡☕
righttozero.bsky.social
Yesterday, our team toured Bellwether Coffee in Berkeley to see firsthand how their innovative technology is transforming coffee roasting.

By replacing gas-powered equipment with all-electric roasters, Bellwether is slashing carbon emissions by up to 90% ☕
missionvespa.bsky.social
California utilities are making record profits in large part due to investments needed for climate adaptation (wildfire) and mitigation (enabling electrification). Limiting profits of some climate crisis-fueled costs is common sense.

www.canarymedia.com/articles/uti...
California lawmakers have a radical idea for lowering electricity…
Two bills would replace $15 billion in utility power-grid investments with cheaper public financing — a new approach to cutting sky-high electricity rates.
www.canarymedia.com
missionvespa.bsky.social
👇🏼 If you want your community to be designated a priority area for zonal electrification, this is a good time to let @californiapuc.bsky.social know!
uclalawemmett.bsky.social
Care about the transition away from building gas service? The California Public Utilities Commission is holding public forums on the Neighborhood Decarbonization Zones tomorrow (Thur) at 2 pm and 6 pm. www.cpuc.ca.gov/events-and-m...
Public Forum on Neighborhood Decarbonization Zones
www.cpuc.ca.gov
missionvespa.bsky.social
The misguided halt to progress on state residential building codes passed by #CAleg should not deter local action to decarbonize existing buildings. Exceptions in AB 130 give many cities and counties the continued ability to adopt codes to help ensure central AC units are replaced with a heat pump.
California halts building code updates in a blow to electrification
Local jurisdictions may still be able to adopt ambitious codes that help homes ditch gas and promote heat pumps under exceptions in the new law, AB 130.
www.canarymedia.com
Reposted by Matt Vespa
jlappen1.bsky.social
Not at all a coincidence that this type of clean-energy comms - which presents a positive case in forceful terms rather than trying to dance around the issue - is coming almost exclusively from non-US firms. The comparison tells us a lot about why the IRA failed. More below:

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davidho.bsky.social
Motherfucking wind farms…